Socio-economic correlates of child labour in agricultural sector of rural Rajshahi District, Bangladesh

K. M. Mustafizur Rahman, Towfiqua Mahfuza Islam* and Md. Ismail Tareque

Department of Population Science and Human Resource Development, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi-6205, Bangladesh.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: tmisathee@yahoo.com.

Accepted 6 February, 2010

Abstract

Child labour is a sprouting matter across the world and remains widespread problem particularly in developing countries. This study is a comprehensive analysis of child labour in agricultural sector based on findings of interviews conducted with 1764 child labour from 12 Unions of 3 Thanas under Rajshahi district, Bangladesh. The present study aims to delineate this issue across different socio-economic conditions of the child labour. The study also reveals that sex, religion, types of livelihood, father’s occupation and distance between the work place and home of the child laboured are most influential factors in determining the likelihood of taking up agricultural work. Findings need to be scientifically utilized in developing suitable programs addressing the case of reducing of child labour particularly in agricultural sector of the developing countries as well as Bangladesh.   

Key words: Child labour, agricultural, cross tabulation, logistic regression analysis, Bangladesh.